


there's a diamond at my fingertips

by blackkat



Series: Tumblr Drabbles [22]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fix-It, Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-22
Updated: 2017-03-22
Packaged: 2018-10-09 05:58:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10405455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackkat/pseuds/blackkat
Summary: For a prompt on my Tumblr: de-aged oro???? he was such a cute kid and i can just see everybody going wtf.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Title from _We Are the Kids_ by Walk the Moon, bc why not.

Trying his best to be subtle, Kakashi casts a glance out of the Hokage’s office, to where Konoha’s newest problem is sitting perched on a chair in the hall. His head is bent, long black hair falling around tiny shoulders, and his shoulders are a little slumped. The secondhand robes Sarutobi was able to find are too big on him, loose and baggy, and his hands are compulsively fiddling with a loose thread on the cuff. Golden eyes stay fixed on the floor, and his little feet don’t even touch the ground. 

Entirely disturbed, Kakashi leans back gives Sarutobi his best pleading look. 

As ever, Sarutobi is unmoved. He just smiles placidly in return, and says, “You needn’t be concerned, Kakashi. Inoichi checked him, and he has no memories of his adulthood. No memories beyond the age of nine, in fact. They’re not simply buried, they’re _gone_. Orochimaru is a child, and nothing more.”

Kakashi refrains from pointing out that child or not, Orochimaru is still the only person who has ever managed to stop Kakashi in his tracks from sheer terror. The fact that the little boy out there is solemn and silent and lonely has no bearing on anything. It’s what he grows up into that Kakashi is wary about. 

“Sir,” he says instead, and just barely manages to keep from beating his head against the desk in front of him. “This is _Orochimaru_. Do you really think it’s a good idea to put him in close proximity to _Naruto_?”

Sarutobi arches a brow. “Put one lonely, orphaned little boy on the same team as another lonely, orphaned little boy? I think it will work well. You forget that I know this Orochimaru better than anyone. And beyond that, should anything happen, I have my best jounin nearby to step in.”

That sly smile is doing bad things to Kakashi’s nerves. “Flattery will get you nowhere, sir,” is all he says, and Sarutobi’s eyes crinkle a little. 

“I took a genin team against advisement, barely three months after Tobirama died,” he says, gaze drifting out to the hall and the little boy there. “I’m afraid I wasn’t able to give them the attention I should have. Maybe Orochimaru will fare better with you as his teacher, Kakashi. Our ideals fall along different lines. After seeing what Orochimaru became following mine, I can only hope that yours will help him find the correct path.”

Kakashi doesn’t answer, just bows, turns on his heel, and heads for the hall. At the sound of his steps, Orochimaru’s head jerks up, and he stares up at Kakashi with eyes that are very close to hopeful. “Can I stay in the village?” he asks, and Kakashi tries not to hear the desperation in his young voice. 

“Maa, maa,” he says. “Of course you can. Come on, I’ll take you home with me so you can settle in, and then we’ll go meet my team.”

Kakashi maintains that this is just about the Hokage’s worst decision ever. Still, when Orochimaru nods quickly and slides off the chair, Kakashi can’t help his complete inability to connect the immoral, murderous missing-nin he faced in the forest. 

It’s not fair, Kakashi thinks a little plaintively, pulling out his Icha Icha rather than watch the small, dark head bobbing along at his elbow. Why does the universe have to hate him in particular?


End file.
